


School Days

by Joe_Reaves



Series: Past Life Series [5]
Category: Empire Records (1995)
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Kid Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-04-13
Updated: 2010-04-13
Packaged: 2017-10-08 22:29:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/80142
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Joe_Reaves/pseuds/Joe_Reaves
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lucas has trouble at school.</p>
            </blockquote>





	School Days

**Author's Note:**

> Co-written with [Lucas](http://verito295.livejournal.com/)

I take a deep breath before slipping the keys in the keyhole and trying to open the door of Joe's apartment as quietly as possible. Once inside I quickly remove my shoes and drop my jacket on the hooks by the door before grabbing my school bag and tiptoeing my way back to my room. I nearly made it when I hear Joe's voice calling me out from the living room.

"Lucas?" At the single word I freeze like a deer in the headlights. If Joe sees me this way he's going to think I'm a trouble maker, I know he says he's not going to get angry with me but this might really upset him. I try to wiggle my way out of it as long as possible and shout out. "Yes Joe, I'm home, I'm a little tired since we had our first PE class today, I think I'm going to go to sleep." With that I take a quick run the rest of the way to my room and jump inside, closing the door behind me.

*

I blink in stunned amazement when Lucas disappears into his room and then follow him. Knocking on the door I call, "Lucas? Open the door Lucas." There is a long pause and then the door opens a crack. I push it further open and see Lucas standing there, head ducked, looking like he's trying to sink into the floor. "Lucas? What's wrong?" I ask worriedly. He just shakes his head and refuses to look up. I reach out and gently tilt his face up to mine and gasp. He has a swollen lip and the beginnings of a black eye. "Lucas? What the hell happened?" I demand. When I find out who did this to him I'm going to kick their ass into the middle of next month.

*

I jump a little and wince at that, he does sound pretty upset. I take a deep breath and try to get the all thing out at once. "I'm sorry Joe, there were these bullies in school and they started picking on this kid. They had him cornered in the gym, behind the bleachers and they were pushing him around and making fun of him because he looked skinny and he was wearing funny clothes." I keep on without taking breath. "I couldn't leave him alone Joe, it was five of them and they were all Juniors, they could have hurt him bad." I pause and look down for a moment. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get in trouble Joe. I promise it won't happen again, please don't be mad."

*

Ah hell. I pull him into a hug. "I'm not mad at you, kid. I'm mad at the people who did this to you." I step back and tilt his face up to mine. "Let's go and get these injuries treated and you can tell me why you didn't get help instead of taking on five boys, all of whom were bigger than you, on your own. You could have been seriously hurt, Lucas." I guide him along the hall and back to the bathroom. I get him to sit on the toilet and grab the first aid kit. Carefully, I dab antiseptic on his wounds, including his hands, which are grazed. "This is probably going to hurt," I warn him as I touch the cloth to the first graze.

*

Joe is right, the antiseptic does hurt even though it's really nothing compared to some of the things that happened before, but I still have to bite down on my lower lip to keep a pretty unmanly yelp in. I can't believe I've become such a wimp in the short months I spent with my new guardian. I'm a little lost in my thoughts, so when he cleans a cut right under my eye I'm not prepared for the sharp sting of the medicine and can't help myself. "Ouch! Joe, I don't think it's supposed to hurt that much!"

*

I laugh softly at his indignant expression. "Antiseptic always stings, Lucas. I can't do anything about it. Maybe you'll remember this next time you're outnumbered and go for help instead. I can't blame you for wanting to help, but there are better ways Lucas." I finish treating his injuries and stand up. "Let's find you some ice for that eye and I'll make us some dinner that you can eat without making your lip worse. Who was this kid you were defending anyway?"

*

I follow him meekly to the kitchen and slump on a chair, watching Joe while he takes a tray of ices cubes and wraps them into a towel. He kneels on the kitchen floor, hands me the cold bundle and takes my hand, guiding it to my swelling eye and holding it there for a moment. I can't seem to be able to take my eyes off the floor. "The kid's name is AJ and I'm sorry I got into a fight Joe, but they were too many and if I had gone off to call one of the teachers they would have simply have waited for him to be alone again. Maybe now they know he has somebody that will stand up for him."

*

I sigh in frustration. "If you say it was the only way to protect the kid then I believe you, but please try not to get into fights like that – you could be badly hurt." I wrap my arms around him and hug him again. "I'm not angry with you Lucas – you did good today. I just wish you could have helped AJ without getting hurt." I tip his face up so I can look him in they eye again "Look at me, Lucas. You're not in trouble – I'm proud of you. I hate seeing you hurting though. If they come after you or AJ again, tell me, I'll make sure they learn their lesson." Standing up, I continue, "Come on. I'll make dinner and we can watch TV for a while or play that zoo game or something," I pause. "Unless you have homework?"

*

I shake my head. "No, I did my homework during lunch break." I get up and drop the ice pack in the sink before taking out plates and cutlery from the cabinets, glasses from the drying rack and I start setting the table for dinner. "Can we have the Shepherd's Pie leftovers from the other night? It was fantastic; you have to teach me how you do it sometimes so I can cook too. And I want to learn how you prepare the casserole with the meatballs." I know he loves that one and maybe I could cook it for him sometimes when he comes back late from the store, that way we don't have to order take out all the time. I grab some paper napkins from the counter and set them on the table before turning Joe, who is now moving around our small kitchen. "Joe, do you think I could invite AJ over for dinner sometimes?"

*

I take the leftovers from the fridge and put them in the microwave. "What do you want with the Shepherd's Pie?" I ask, grabbing some fresh rolls from the cupboard and passing them to Lucas for him to put on the table. "And sure I'll teach you if you really want to learn. It's never too soon to learn to cook and it means when you have your own place in the future you won't have to live on take out. My grandfather taught me when I was about your age. The casserole is one of his recipes." I smile at him. "You can have friends over whenever you want, kid, as long as you warn me in advance and don't make too much noise."

*

I have to stifle a laugh at that, I look at the floor and try to hide the cheeky grin I know I'm sporting "No problem Joe, I think AJ is into hard rock, I mean I'm sure we won't make too much noise jumping around the living room, using a broom and a mop as guitars." Which is exactly what we were doing just last weekend. I really can't hold back anymore and let out a soft giggle before adding. "No I'm sure. Even if we were to play hide and seek in the dark I know we'd be able to miss at least a couple of side tables or a sofa leg, and for sure not to scream that loud." Joe didn't seem to be able to miss a single piece of furniture when we played and I'm not sure what was louder, his cursing or the noise of everything that kept falling to the floor.

*

I try and glare at him but inside I'm enjoying the fact that he is relaxed enough to tease me. I grab him as he comes close and start tickling him. "You are a cheeky brat," I tell him. "Here I am slaving over a hot … microwave to cook your dinner and all you can do is run that smart mouth." He shrieks at me to stop and tries to slip out of my grasp by dropping to the floor. I follow him down, still tickling. "What am I going to do with you, hey?" I stand up and grab one of the cushions which has made it's way into the kitchen and on to one of the chairs here – probably from when Lucas was doing his homework in here last night while I cooked. I throw it at him. "Take that and go and sit on the couch until I'm done if you're going to be an idiot," I say, smiling at him to show I'm not serious.

*

I grab the cushion while still giggling a little and drop it on the kitchen floor, in a corner a little out of the way but were I can still keep an eye on Joe's movements, something I've come to realize I find quite soothing. I then head back to my room to grab my book bag and the last book I borrowed from the school library, before making my way back to the kitchen, dropping cross legged on the cushion and burring my nose in the pages of the fascinating story.

*

I open some tinned vegetables to go with the Shepherd's Pie and put them on the cooker to heat. Glancing over my shoulder I ask, "What are you reading Lucas?" I don't comment about the fact he's sat on the kitchen floor – he seems to like being around me and I like having him where I can see him, so that works out well. He always has his nose in a book too.

*

I look up a little startled at the sound of his voice, it takes a second for his words to register because of the way I usually get lost inside a book when I read, when they do I give a little shrug. "Nothing major, I picked it up from the school library, it's titled the Odyssey. Odysseus is the hero and he beats all his enemies and every danger he faces just with his cleverness. I think he's brilliant."

*

I blink and stride over to him. Tugging the book out of his hands I read the title and hand it back again I shake my head in amazement. "He's reading Homer for fun!" I mutter. "Lucas you know that that's several thousand years old and considered a classic, right? They teach college courses on it. You amaze me sometimes kid. If you enjoy it you should read the Iliad too. It's the story of the siege of Troy – the siege Odysseus is making his way home from in this book"

*

I perk up at that. "Really? I love his character, no matter what the gods throw at him he keeps picking himself up to make his way home to his family. He manages to outwit and trick the big stupid Cyclops and he's still so curious and stubborn that he has his crew tie him to the mast to be able to listen to the song of the sirens. This is not a complicated book though." I give another little shrug. "You said the Iliad, right? I'll have to look in the library tomorrow."

*

I can't help but laugh at that. "He's beginning to sound like someone I know," I say, winking at Lucas. "Of course he had a smart mouth too and manage to piss off some of the Gods, which is why it took him so long to get home …. Hmmm sounds more and more like you the more I think of it. And you're right it's not a complicated book. It's from a time when history and stories and everything else were passed down verbally, from generation to generation. Homer was a poet and storyteller." I smile softly at Lucas. "I could see you fitting right in back then, travelling from town to town and stunning them all with your tales and poems."

*

I can feel myself blushing furiously at that and mumble. "Me Joe? I wouldn't have much to say. I haven't seen enough to be able to write anything of any importance." It amazes me how Joe can see things in me that nobody else has ever seen, but he never lied to me and I might just start to believe him. With a small grin I try to change the subject. "Odysseus might have pissed off some Gods but he did have other ones protecting him too, does that make you Athena, Joe?"

*

I laugh again and shake my head at him. "So I look like a goddess to you? No," I continue hurriedly as he starts to say something. "On second thoughts don't answer that, brat. Now come and eat and we can decide when you want to invite your friend over. And put the book down, you cannot eat and read at the same time, how many times do I have to tell you that?"

*

With a grin I put the book down on the counter, then run to wash my hands before heading back to the kitchen, where I know a delicious Sheppard's Pie is waiting for me together with the man that showed me that adults are not all the same and that family might actually be something to fight for like Odysseus did thousands of years ago.


End file.
